Phoenix Den

Brooklyn, New York, United States

Mission Statement

An intentional community seeking to fill a gap in New York City for queer supportive housing.

Community Description

Phoenix Den will provide supportive housing to LGBTQ+ people recovering from mental illness and co-occurring disorders. This is a community of people who are not in crisis and are currently sober, and have a strong drive towards living in recovery, but need some support maintaining a newfound stability.

This community has 3 main facets it is trying to fulfill: queer supportive housing. With its LGBTQ+ focus, it will not be separated by gender, and people of any gender will be welcome to stay here. The space will not be cis-hetero-assuming, and LGBTQ+ resources will be made available. This is a factor that makes our form of supportive housing accessible to a community that is often left excluded from what are normally strictly gendered spaces. As a supportive community, we hope to foster independence and positive recovery from mental illness and co-occurring disorders. This will include providing a stable place to live, with shared food and cleaning and cooking schedules, as well as mental health resources such as weekly groups and various other support options. This is not meant to be a place of treatment, but rather a stepping stone to independent living (though permanent living is not an impossibility) for those who need help cementing their recovery. We hope to provide an affordable and accessible form of housing to people that would benefit from this vision.

Phoenix Den is meant to be a place of stability maintenance and recovery support. We are a group of people thoroughly invested in living our lives as best we can with the cards we have been dealt. The Phoenix is a mythical bird that is continuously reborn from its ashes. It carries with it a message of power and resilience, despite struggle, despite relapse, it carries everlasting strength and perseverance.

Membership

Once we have a space, potential new members would be allowed to schedule a visit, pending approval from current residents.

Open to new Members:Yes

Membership Process:

Please email [email protected] answering the following questions: Why do you think Phoenix Den will be a good fit for you? Are you willing to be a founding member?

Additional Comments:

As we are still forming, we are looking for founding members. As a founding member, you would have a say in how the community is run, where we find a space, and how it is set up. There are already guidelines set up, but being a founding member you would have influence over what this community ultimately becomes.

Dietary Choice or Restrictions: Somewhat – there are some dietary restrictions or customs.

Special Diets OK: Yes

Alcohol Use: No, this community does not permit alcohol use.

Tobacco Use: No, this community does not permit tobacco use.

Additional Diet Comments:

Food is purchased and provided according to dietary needs of residents. The baseline will be pescatarian fare, but adjustments for vegan or gluten free diets will be considered and made when needed. We are a strictly sober community.

Common Spiritual Practice(s): Ecumenical (accepts all religions or spiritual practices), Not a particularly spiritual or religious community